Comparative Research into Kazakhstan and American Master’s Students’ Motivation for Learning English Academic Writing (EFL/ESL)

Aim. is to conduct theoretical-empirical research into Kazakhstan and American Master’s students’ motivation for learning English academic writing (EFL/ESL) with regard to cross-cultural components and sexual differentiation. Methods. The research involved 60 Master’s students (28 males and 32 females), pursuing a degree at Shakarim University (SU) (Semey, Kazakhstan) and 45 Master’s students (22 males and 23 females), pursuing a degree at the University of Illinois (UIUC) (Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA) aged 23 to 30. All the respondents were learning English academic writing (EFL/ESL). The research methods are as follows: “Diagnostics of Master’s Students’ Motivation to Study” Natalia Badmayeva (2004); “Motivation for Professional Activity” (Rean et al., 2006); “Diagnostics of the Individual’s Motivation Structure” Vitaliy Milman (1990). Results. No difference was found between the Kazakhstan and American samples in cross-cultural aspects. A high level of the prestige motive (t = 1.943; p = .027; d = .401) was identified in the Kazakhstan male sample, which was the only superiority by sexual differentiation. Psychological correlations between the parameters of motivation for learning English academic writing and the parameters of professional motivation were established. Seventeen significant correlations were recorded: one direct correlation and sixteen inverse correlations. It was explained that the parameters of Master’s students’ learning motivation are stimuli of a conscious and purposeful desire to study and develop themselves. It was highlighted that such stimuli focus on the resultant and content components of the educational process. Conclusions. Master’s students at both Universities of the examined samples prefer communication motive, social motive, prestige motive, learning-cognitive motive and comfort in learning English writing. The research findings should be implemented in the educational process at universities.